My sleep cycle has been problematic lately. So has Don’s. Last night, I woke up in the middle of the night for what must have been an hour or more, finally fell back to sleep and then promptly woke up again. Don was also awake for a long stretch. I finally admitted defeat and got up around 5:45 am. Don, who is much better at this than I, went back to sleep. Or at least I think he did. He hasn’t emerged from the bedroom yet.
Once I’m up, I’m up.
I can always tell when I haven’t had enough sleep. My eyes feel irritated and sting-y (as opposed to stingy.) I feel a wee bit edgy. I know that I could easily slip into ‘irritated mode.’ So the day becomes, in part, about trying not to descend into snappishness, trying to stay cheery and positive.
Don always says, “You can take a nap this afternoon.” But I don’t really nap anymore. Maybe, if I’m lucky, a doze of five minutes or so while sitting in my blogging chair that will take the edge off.
Though I’d much rather have had more sleep, I do like the early morning here at the cottage; still dark as I pad down the stairs, Scoutie asleep on the loveseat, coffee brewing, lamps lit.
A pile of books and newspapers on the coffee table. And Vaseline. (I use the Vaseline for my feet, which get very dry in the winter.)
As is.
It’s a quiet time, with the sound of early morning traffic in the background. Scout wakes up, goes outside, comes into the den with me, and after some time in the ‘tunnel,’ promptly goes back to sleep again. I’m envious.
As I write this, she is dreaming. Her little body is jerking and she’s making sounds of distress. What is she seeing in her dream? Now she wakes, opens her eyes, makes sure I’m here and then fades back into sleep. Peaceful again.
I love that girl.
Yesterday, I used a long extender handle with a brush and scrubbed down the side of the house that is north-facing and never fully gets the sun. It needed it. But boy, was it a messy job. A bit of chlorine-free, environmentally safe bleach added to a bucket of water, scrub, scrub, scrub, turn on the hose and rinse, more bleach, more water and on and on it went. The hose played tricks on me and doused me with water a couple of times. It was cold and gray and I was very wet at the end of the whole thing. Plus the dang extender handle locked into place and I couldn’t adjust it, so I had to do the whole job with the handle/brush at a weird angle because it was too long.
The house looks better. It was a task I should have attended to long ago. Working out-of-town for an extended period of time tends to put a lot of projects on hold. I have an ongoing list that plays on an endless loop in my brain. Do you have a To Do list that is always lingering in your thoughts? Don is sort of amazed by it. In the course of a routine conversation about something like the beauty of the leaves, I will suddenly come up with three things that have to be done that day. He can’t quite process the U-turns my thoughts can take. Is this a female thing? I don’t think Don’s thought process runs on the same switching system as mine.
Ah, but all is well when I’m wearing my flannel pajamas. The other day, after a really bad bout of sleeplessness, I kept them on all day long. Defiantly. Happily. It was just the excuse I needed. And I broke out the hot chocolate.
By the way, I have been remiss in not announcing the winner of a copy of Backlash. The winner is Nancy Blue Moon. Congratulations, Nancy! Send me an email with your mailing address and I will pass it on to TLC Book Tours.
I used to do other giveaways on this blog but I have to say that nothing makes me happier than the opportunity to give away books. I’m passionate about them and love that I can share them with you.
Happy Thursday.
Oh my, maybe it’s a cosmic something that’s gone bad….the last couple of nights I’ve had what I call a restless sleep – toss and turn, covers on, covers off. But last night, ugg! Not feeling like I slept at all although I know I must have. Weird dreams as well. Maybe mercury is in retrograde or whatever. Geez why do I always think it’s just me when things like this happen?
Well, I hope there’s comfort in knowing it isn’t just you, Elizabeth!
Do I recognize nick n Nora pj’s??? My all time faves??? Just bought a new pair with bicycles all over them. I must have 4 or 5 pairs. For a bit Target quit carrying them. But they are back. Oh happiness.
Yep. I love my Nick n’ Nora pjs!
Good morning, I’m not sleeping well either. Today is my husbands birthday, he would be 68 years old. Just the number is impossible, how can we be this old? Where are all those years? We had been together since he was 20. Precious, good memories. The sun is shining here in Indiana this morning after a grey, gloomy, wet day yesterday. Those are difficult. I love that you scrubbed down your house, what a great way to dispel the gloomies! I chose to read the day away, hiding from the outside grey ness with Anne Lamott.
I agree that men aren’t on the same wave link as us, I always have a list in my mind. Again, thank you for a cheery morning post, Claudia. Oh, I love those flannels.
Thinking of you, Hedy, on this day. Sending you a big hug. xoxo
Good morning, Claudia. Yup–verdict is in, we are definitely kindred spirits. I was also up wayyyy too early this morning, padding downstairs in my flannel pjs, sipping coffee and putting the finishing touches on my blog with Willow curled up in my lap while I wrote. Then upstairs to get ready for work—putting the Vaseline on my feet, which I do every day! :-)
My husband always looks dumbfounded when my brain rolls around to the “task list”, which I can pull out at any time–at the movies, when we’re curled up on the sofa with a glass of wine, or tucked in bed for the night–my list is always right in front of me! You think he’d be used to it by now, after almost 32 years of marriage, but oh no, he still looks surprised every time! He actually thinks “down time” means….down time! Hah!
Don too – he doesn’t understand that I can retain the list at all times, easily access it and come up with something we need to do!
Ditch the vaseline and start using Vick’s Vaporub on your feet. You will have the softest feet around. I started using it years ago and have never looked back. Also if you have a cough, putting it on your feet seems to help. I read that last part somewhere.
I love Vicks but Don hates the smell! I don’t know how I can get away with it unless I have a cold.
I’m a horrible sleeper and I blame it on peri-menopause. I sleep in shifts…a few hours of sleep, up for awhile, another couple of hours of sleep, up for awhile again. I go to the bathroom, wander the house, sometimes check my email, pet the cats. Like you, I never nap during the day. I just can’t. Yes, I always have a running to-do list in my head. I do think it’s a female thing. In fact, the day is a’wastin’…I must get in the shower now and get on with my day. I have a yucky job to do today (much like your scrubbing the house yesterday). I have to clean out and defrost the upright freezer in our basement. We haven’t done so ever since we’ve had it (10 years?) and now ice is building up on the bottom shelf and leaking onto the basement floor.
Good luck with your yucky job, Melanie. I hope it goes smoothly.
PS – darn it, meant to comment on the Vaseline. I’d try a natural body creme or healing salve instead of the Vaseline, which can be harmful. After my shower, I use an all-natural creme but at night I use pure organic coconut oil on my feet, face, and neck. Here’s a good article on this subject:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/21/vaseline-petroleum-jelly_n_4136226.html
Thanks Melanie! I use coconut oil, too. According to the article Vaseline itself is supposed to be fine, but imitations might not be. Good to know!
Sometimes I think it is the time of year that causes us restless nights. I have found it hard to get going since the time change and I just dread the darkness at 5:30 in the afternoon.
Scout looks so adorable all cuddled up near her mommy, what a doll. I am glad she is better.
I have been looking for some good books to read, I am terrible because I read so fast and have read so much I hate to waste my time on books with no substance. I went to the second hand books shop a couple of weeks ago and picked up two books that looked great. A few pages in and I realized I had already read them.
As for a To Do List I have a running one in my mind constantly. Men do not understand that because they never want to look and see that things need to be done. I already have Spring set for chores. We have had a cracked window in the front room since last winter. I picked up the glass and my husband’s way of fixing it was to put wide tape on it. I told him I was going to do it myself, which I will tomorrow. Sometimes I think he is smarter than he let’s on, I always end up finishing what I ask him to start.
Embrace you sleeplessness Claudia, stock up on books, watch old movies and for goodness sake if you get sleepy through the day grab a little nap it can do wonders.
Keep warm and drink hot chocolate,
Sue
Don never sees the things I do, Sue. Never. And if he does, he rarely thinks it needs to be addressed. We have a cracked window, too. He won’t deal with it, I’m sure!
Claudia I hope the sleep pattern gets better. I had that a couple of weeks ago, but seem to back to sleeping better now. I always have a ‘to do’ list in my head. Part of my night time ritual is to list in my mind, the things I want to do the next day. Weird but it’s me! I use vaseline on my feet also but I see the article about coconut oil and may check that out.
I’ve used both Vaseline and Coconut Oil. Somehow, Vaseline seems to work better for me.
Sorry you are not sleeping well…I do know how that goes! And as far as napping goes…can’t catch more than five minutes either. I’ve got a running list going in my head constantly. Sometimes it’s a to do list, and other times I’m wrestling with some minor problem in my brain. That’s about as multi-tasking as I can get! ;)
Running lists are a good thing. Don’s running list is: I have to eat. I have to drink some coffee. I have to play the guitar. I have to go to work. Basic stuff.
Always have a To-Do List running in the background of my mind, and I add to it constantly. Also, in the winter I use Vick’s on my feet. Have done for the past 2 years and haven’t had a bad cold since. Softer feet, too!! Also, we have adopted our last 4 dogs over the past 20+ years. All Greyhounds. Right now our 2 are both asleep on the couch after a romp at the dog park, and I always LOVE when they open their eyes to see if we are around. Then they give a big sigh and go back to sleep. I always think it is their amazement and wonder that we chose them and intend to keep them, and they just keep checking. Little do they know that they actually chose us and we possibly need them as much if not more than they need us.
Hope you can get that little 5-10 minute power nap in during the day…………. they do wonders!
I know – it’s so endearing when they check on us – I always say, “I’m here. I’m never going to leave you.” Even after 13 years with us, she still ‘checks.’
Thank once again Claudia for another great book to read..I enjoy reading your reviews and when I win a book you have reviewed it is so nice..I don’t often get to buy a brand new unused book..My sleep hasn’t been bad but the time change and the getting dark so early does make me feel kind of down and also tired when I shouldn’t be tired..I just have to try and keep busy to fight the feeling..
The early darkness gets me down, too, Nancy.
Every now and then I won’t be able to fall asleep until about 3 a.m. After and hour of not being able to get to sleep I get up and read or do something constructive like reorganize the book shelves or clean out the kitchen drawers. It always makes for a tiring day and if it’s on Sat. night and we need to get up at 6:30 for early church I don’t do well at all. This has been happening more frequently and I try to just go with the flow. I know what you mean about men not thinking like women. I too have a running to do list in my head. We have trees hanging over part of the back of our house and this green stuff forms on the siding. When I”ve had enough it has to be cleaned. I use bleach and a long handled brush too and it’s always a big job. Sometimes, I could swear, my husband just doesn’t see the same things I see. Either that or it just doesn”t bother him when the place starts looking bad. It’s amazing to me that men and women can share their lives when we are so different. One of the great mysteries of life I guess.
That’s exactly what was on our siding – the green stuff. We have trees on that side of the house and it faces north, so it never really gets enough sun to keep that stuff from growing. Don noticed the difference after I did it, but would he have done anything about it? No. And, like you, I don’t even think he sees it.
My professor/poet husband of 41 years always looks stunned when I bring up items on “The List.” I guess his internal list is much like Don’s.
I see that you’re up to The Beautiful Mystery. I noticed that book in the library last year, thought it looked good but that I should begin at the beginning, am so glad that I did. Yesterday I brought How the Light Gets In home and can’t wait to begin reading. Have you found An Uncommon Reader yet?
Bag Balm for the winter feet.
I’ve got How the LIght Gets In sitting on my desk waiting to be read, along with An Uncommon Reader, Margaret.
ahh a all day PJ day, one good thing about cold weather. My cousins and I are planning one on Sunday!
Today – it’s 12:31 pm and I’m still in my pjs!
There is nothing better than hot chocolate, flannel p.j.’s and a sweet dog to snuggle with despite lack of sleep. I’m with you on the lack of sleep. It drives me crazy to wake up in the middle of the night and then lay awake for hours. Luckily I am a napper. It just has taken me some time to move past the guilt of napping, but now I don’t worry so much about that anymore. And it does me wonders.
-Barbara
I try, Barbara, I try. I only take one when I really don’t feel well and then I wake up feeling completely strange and can never get fully awake again. So I try to hang in there and just go to bed early.
I can empathize. I’m a terrible insomniac. Staying in the jammies does help though. Hope it gets better. J
Oh, it will, Julie. But in the meantime, I’m in my jammies.
I have not slept well all week. Finally got up at 2:30 and plugged in an old Columbo movie (yes-I do love Columbo). Watched that and then dozed from 4 to 5:30 or so. Crazy when you can’t sleep.
Congrats to Nancy Blue Moon!
Oh-just a side note. I have VERY dry feet in the winter. Suzan over at Simply Vintageous told me about pure glycerine (which is kept behind the pharmacy counter because some IDIOTS use it to make BOMBS) You have to ask for it. You put it on at night with a pair of socks and you won’t believe you have the same feet in about 2 or 3 treatments. I have never had anything that works like glycerine does.
Hope you are having a good non-cranky day! o Diana
I’ll check out pure glycerine, Diana. Thanks for the tip!
With all that hard work you did it seems like you would have had a good nights sleep. Maybe to many to do lists running through your head keeping you up.
I have been in my PJs all day today and yesterday, but sadly not because I was enjoying it, but because I am sick. I really hate being sick. But it’s nice to hear about your cozy morning, even if it was earlier than you had hoped! Your jammies look very cozy. I used to use Vaseline on my feet, but I didn’t like that it was a petrolium product, so a friend made me some foot cream with coconut oil and it’s fantastic. I’ll see if I can get you the recipe if you’re interested. <3, ~Angela~
Sleep is very important, and the experts say that a solid 7 hours is good for you, but I’ve also heard that the older one gets, the less sleep they need. I would have thought otherwise, no? I mean, here I am almost 50, and I am finding that housecleaning, walking, gardening, (gave up the jogging!), etc., have to be done in stages, with (lots of) time to rest in between! Does this mean that my sleeping has to be done in stages, too?!!:(
Hope your feet are feeling better; they’re at least one body part that could do without the sleep!!;)
xo
Poppy